Information from 1994 to the present on who is required to perform compulsory and reserve military service, on the minimum and maximum ages for compulsory and reserve military service, on the length of reserve service, and on the penalty for failure to respond to call-up orders to perform regular and reserve military service [MCD22037.E]

In a telephone interview on 14 December 1995, a research analyst who specializes in Albania and Macedonia at Prague's Open Media Research Institute (OMRI), a research enterprise dedicated to the study of the former Soviet Union and east-central and south-eastern Europe, provided the following information. There is compulsory military service in Macedonia for men aged 18 to 27, although under some circumstances the age limit can be extended to 30. The period of military service is 10 months. The research analyst did not know whether citizens are required to perform reserve military service.

According to page 38 of the Immigration and Naturalization Service attachment of February 1995,

Macedonia maintains its own small armed forces, and military service is mandatory for all men between the ages of 18 and 27. They are required to serve between 12 and 15 months on active duty. They continue to be subject to recall in cases of emergency as part of the reserves up till the age of 50.


Information on the length of reserve service, on whether citizens are called up to perform reserve service on a periodic basis, and on the penalties for failure to respond to call-up orders to perform regular and reserve military service could not be found among the source consulted by the DIRB.

For information on the status and treatment of draft evaders, please consult the Immigration and Naturalization Service attachment of February 1995.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Resource Information Center. Profile Series: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Human Rights Since 1990. Washington, DC: United States INS Resource Information Center.

Open Media Research Institute (OMRI), Prague. 14 December 1995. Telephone interview with research analyst.

Attachment


Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Resource Information Center. Profile Series: Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: Human Rights Since 1990. Washington, DC: United States INS Resource Information Center, pp. 38-41.

Other Sources Consulted


DIRB country file on Macedonia.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports. Daily.

On-line search of media sources.

Other oral sources.